The Power of Four
by Personal Project
Summary: It's 2005. Voldemort has long since been defeated, and life goes on as usual for these Hera, Rachael, Mafalda, and Amanda. Follow them through their years at Hogwarts, as they change the school while being changed themselves.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with the rights of Harry Potter.

**_

* * *

Chapter One_**

"I got into Hogwarts! I got into Hogwarts!" Rachael sang as she danced around her sullen friend.

"No duh; we're pureblood, we've been doing magic since we were five, and we live in England. Of course we got into Hogwarts," Hera waved her own acceptance letter.

"I know," Rachael sighed in exasperation. "Why can't you be happy?"

It was Hera's turn to sigh. "Because," she took a deep breath. "Pureblood women are still, silent…"

Rachael joined in. "…and serene until called upon by their husbands. They must uphold the pureblood line by bearing an heir, and then must find and present a suitable match for their heir or heirs." They finished the lesson that had been drilled into their heads since birth. Hera and Rachael looked at each other for a moment, and then started laughing.

"Oh, I'm so glad that we're going to Hogwarts!" Hera threw her arms around Rachael.

"We need to go to Diagon Alley for a shopping trip!" Rachael exclaimed at the same time.

* * *

While those two girls were celebrating in a kitchen of a nicely furnished house, Amanda Smith was staring at a brown and grey owl that had just landed on her summer English homework.

"Mom! Dad!" she yelled, not wanting to move.

"What is it, dear?" her mother called up the stairs.

"There's an owl on my bed!" she hollered back. She flinched back as the owl moved suddenly, but it was only sticking out its leg. There was a letter attached to it.

"What?" her mother yelled, her confusion showing in her voice.

"There's an owl on my bed, offering me a letter!" Amanda stared at this letter. There was an old-fashioned seal on it. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Amanda winced as she heard her mother going to answer it.

"Is everything all right?" A voice floated up to Amanda, and she winced again. It was Mrs. Potter, their next-door neighbor. "I thought I heard yelling," Mrs. Potter continued.

"It's all right," Amanda heard her mother say. "Amanda was just startled. An owl, of all things, flew through her window and landed on her bed."

"Oh, yes, I saw it!" Mrs. Potter exclaimed. "It flew right into her room!"

"Oh, it's not just Amanda being silly?" Amanda's mom chuckled. "Do you want to go check it out? It's very odd, isn't it?" There was a noise of agreement from Mrs. Potter. Amanda heard the quick, light footsteps of her mother and neighbor come up the stairs and into her bedroom.

Amanda's mother gasped at the sight of the owl.

"Mary, Amanda, is that a letter on its leg?" Mrs. Potter asked. If Amanda hadn't known better, she would've thought that Mrs. Potter was amused.

"Yes, I think it is," Amanda looked at Mrs. Potter suspiciously.

"Well, we should probably remove it," Mrs. Potter said. Mary and Amanda stared at her, confused. "It might hurt the poor dear!" The owl preened at her words. Amanda nodded shakily and stretched her hands out towards the letter slowly, afraid that the owl would bite her. She finally snatched it off the owl's leg and looked at it.

_Miss Amanda Smith_

_Upper Bedroom  
412 County Line, Limpond_

Amanda stared at the green ink on the front of the letter before turning it over. There was an odd symbol there, with a shield-like thing in quarters. There was a snake, a lion, a raven, and a badger on it, along with the words…

No. That couldn't be what they said. But it was. Amanda squinted at the words "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". She gave a small scream and threw the letter across the room, only for it to float over to Mrs. Potter, who handed it to Amanda's mom.

"Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Mary exclaimed.

"Yes, Harry and I did always believe that she would go to Hogwarts eventually." Mrs. Potter murmured quietly. Mary missed it, as she was quickly reading the letter.

"It's a hoax," Amanda decided. "Someone is teasing us for fun."

Mrs. Potter smiled kindly. "Actually, no. That school is my alma mater."

"What?" Mary and Amanda's jaws dropped. A witch and wizard, living right beside them for all those years, and they never noticed? Impossible!

"I'm telling you that being a witch is as normal as fish and chips." Mrs. Potter reassured them. They continued to stare at her as if she were crazy. "Amanda, have you ever made anything move or catch on fire or break or change colors when you were younger?"

Amanda was about to shake her head when she noticed her mother nodding. "Mom?"

"You were very little, but you made your aunt's hair pink when she was trying to stuff you in a frilly outfit that you didn't like." Mary explained, shaking. "We waved it away as a trick of the light, as it went away once she stopped attempting to put you in that outfit. And another time, you wanted a teddy, but we didn't get it for you. But when we looked at our bags in the car, there it was. I thought that your father had bought it for you secretly, but now…"

Mrs. Potter was smiling widely. "That's a sign of magic."

Amanda was still trying to wrap her head around it. "Can you show me?" She asked politely. Mrs. Potter smiled again and took out a long, thin stick. She waved it once, and Amanda's room started cleaning itself. Clothes were folded and put away, dust swept out from under the bed, all those chores that the young girl had been avoiding.

"I want to be able to do that!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. "Mom, can I go?"

* * *

Mafalda Summers, only a few miles away, was having a similar morning.

"Mafalda! There's a letter for you!" Her father called. "Come down and eat, too!"

Mafalda sighed and closed her book (_How to Charm Your Socks Off; A Beginner's Charms Book_). "Coming!" She clattered down the stairs as the smell of bacon entered her nose. There was a platter of bacon and pancakes waiting for her, with her letter leaning up against it. She took a piece of bacon and opened her letter as soon as she sat down, only to spring back up.

"Dad, I got in!" she nearly screamed.

"I realize that, Mafalda," her father chuckled. "When do you want to go to Diagon Alley?"

"Right now!" Mafalda was sent into a tizzy as she contemplated the exciting year ahead of her. Her father laughed at her enthusiasm as he waved his wand and sent the dishes to the sink.

"Get ready, then."

* * *

"Hurry up! It's almost 10:50!" Hera called. She was waiting at the foot of Rachael's stairs, impatient for her friend to come down so they could go to the Hogwarts Express.

"I'm ready!" Rachael clattered down the stairs with her trunk and cat in its carrier. "Mum!"

Mrs. Havers ran toward the girls. "What is it? Is someone hurt?"

"No, Mom. We're ready to go!" Rachael was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. The three of them made their way to the fireplace after Mrs. Havers had shrunk their trunks to put in their pockets.

"Goodbye, Rachael!" Mrs. Havers hugged her daughter. "You, too, Hera. Don't get into too much trouble!"

"All right, Mum," She hugged her mother back. "Platform 9 ¾!" Rachael cried, going first.

"Platform 9 ¾!" Hera copied her with a final nod at Mrs. Havers. The green flames spun her around and around until she was spat out at the Platform. She almost ran into Rachael, who was staring at the scarlet train in awe.

"Come'n," Hera muttered, tugging her friend's sleeve. "You look like a filthy mudblood, staring like that."

"Don't call the muggleborns that," Rachael protested as they darted to the train before it took off. "It's rude and old-fashioned!"

"Call me rude and old-fashioned, then," Hera retorted, looking for an empty compartment.

Unfortunately, there wasn't one, so Rachael poked her head in one with two girls sitting in it. One had wavy blond hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and the other had short brown hair. They looked up when their door opened.

"May we sit here?" Rachael smiled brightly at them. "Everywhere else is full, and the train's about to leave."

* * *

Amanda held tightly to her mother's hand as she pushed her trolley full of magic in front of her.

"How do we get onto the Platform, Amanda?" asked a frazzled Mary Smith.

"I don't know; they never told me," Amanda was close to tears.

"Mother, why are there so many muggles near the entrance? I can't get in!" they heard a voice saying.

"Lower your voice, dear," someone responded in a hushed voice. "We can't talk about our world in public."

The two women turned to see a young girl, with an owl, and her mother leaning against Platform 9.

"Wait!" Amanda hurried over to them, leaving her trolley with her mother. "Did you say 'muggles'?"

The mother eyed her suspiciously. "No, of course not!""

"Oh, don't worry. I'm one too," Amanda looked around. "A witch, I mean," she ended in a whisper.

"Oh, yes," the woman said. "Is it your first year?"

"Yes," Amanda said. "I was just wondering… how do you get onto the platform?" she asked as her mother caught up with all her belongings.

"Oh, you just go straight through the wall there. It's Mafalda's first year, too. You can go into the barrier together, alright?" The woman said. "I'm Suzanna Summers."

"Mary Smith." Amanda's mom shook Mrs. Summer's offered hand. "This is Amanda."

"Alright, Mafalda, why don't you escort Amanda through?" Suzanna told her daughter.

"Amanda, take your trolley!" Mary said, exasperated.

"Yes, Mum." She went over to the other girl. "So, what do we do?"

"Just lean on the barrier." Mafalda said confidently.

Amanda looked at her suspiciously, but did as she was told. Just as the thought that she was being tricked had formed in her head, she was falling through the brick wall. She looked around as soon as she got her balance.

"I'm Mafalda Summers," The girl stuck out her hand. "You can sit with me on the train, if you want. What's your name again?"

Amanda blinked at the girl for a moment, and then shook her hand. "Amanda Smith," she reminded the other girl.

At that moment, their mothers came bursting through the entrance.

"Come on girls. It's almost eleven," Suzanna said.

Amanda threw herself in her mother's arms. "I'll miss you Mom," She whispered. Her mother hugged her back, and Amanda let that familiar scent of lavender and earth wash over her.

"Me too, honey," Mary murmured, then straightened up. "Now go. Be safe, don't blow anything up, and don't kill anyone!"

Amanda nodded, her mouth twitching. "See you at Christmas!" she called as Mafalda dragged her towards the train.

Amanda didn't have nearly enough time to look everywhere, see everything. She gaped as they passed two girls on their way to the scarlet steam engine; one of them had just walked out of a fireplace. She almost bumped into a girl with frizzy brown hair; the one that had just walked out of the fireplace had dark brown, almost black hair.

"You look like a filthy mudblood, staring like that," The darker-haired girl was saying.

Amanda saw Mafalda stiffen as the other girl rebuked her friend. "I hope there's an empty compartment for us," Amanda said to herself as they dragged their trunks onto the train.

Fortunately, there was an empty compartment near the back.

"What's a mudblood?" Amanda asked as soon as they sat down.

Mafalda frowned. "It's a really bad name for muggleborns like you," she sighed. "Only purebloods use it, and they haven't used it since Lord Voldemort."

"Is Lord…" Amanda struggled to say the name. "Moldewart still alive?"

Mafalda laughed at the name. "No, Harry Potter killed him just over seven years ago."

"Harry Potter?" Amanda asked, amazed. "Messy hair, weird scar, has a red- headed wife?"

"Erm, yeah. How'd you—" Mafalda said.

"That's my next-door neighbor!" Amanda cut off her new friend.

"No way!" Mafalda exclaimed. "That's so cool!"

Mafalda was about to ask what Harry Potter was like at home when the brown haired girl and her friend stuck their heads in.

"May we sit here?" The brown-haired one asked cheerfully. "Everywhere else is full, and the train's about to leave."

"Of course!" Mafalda said politely.

"Thanks! I'm Rachael Havers, by the way," She said, still smiling.

"Mafalda Summers."

"Amanda Smith."

"Hera Black-Lestrange."

"Black-Lestrange?" Mafalda leaned away from Hera a bit, almost unconsciously.

"Yeah," Hera adopted a look that left Mafalda with no doubt of who her mother was.

"Is that why you use the term 'filthy mudblood'? Because you grew up with it?" Mafalda asked, annoyed and (although she wouldn't admit it) slightly scared of this daughter of two of the biggest Death Eaters.

Hera raised one eyebrow. "No, I use it because that's what they are," The entire compartment froze.

"Erm, Black, Amanda Smith…" Mafalda started tentatively. "She's…"

"A mudblood?" Hera raised one eyebrow.

"Stop saying that!" Amanda glared at this rude girl. "It's not nice!"

"So?" Hera flipped her hair over her shoulder. "It's not like us Slytherins care about… people like you."

Amanda shuddered. Hera had made the word 'people' sound so derogatory, as if she wasn't sure if Amanda was a person at all.

"You don't know that you're going to be a Slytherin," Rachael said, trying to steer the conversation from such murky waters.

Hera gave a mirthless laugh. "Yes, I will. I am a Black, a Lestrange, and a Malfoy. There's no way I'm _not_ going to be in Slytherin."

"What's Slytherin?" Amanda inquired.

"One of the four houses." Mafalda supplied. "There's Gryffindor for the bold,"

"Ravenclaw for the brains," Rachael chipped in.

"Slytherin, for the ambitious and powerful," Hera put in her two cents.

"And Hufflepuff gets the rest," Mafalda finished, looking at Amanda. "Does that answer your question?" Amanda nodded the affirmative.

"So, anything else you want to know about Hogwarts?"

"Yes, of course," Amanda sat up a bit straighter in her seat. "What are the classes? Do we have weekends? Who makes the food?"

Mafalda held up her hands, laughing. "Hold on there! We can only answer one question at a time! Now, let's see—"

* * *

"First years, this way!" A voice rang out. "Over here, by this lantern!"

Soon, the four girls and about twenty others were huddled around a male professor with a very boyish face.

"All right, looks like everyone is here," He counted them, then pointed at a small array of boats. "No more than four to a boat!"

The four girls clambered into one of the boats, each pair not wishing to get separated from their friend. Hera made sure to sit as far away from Amanda as possible.

"Once we go under the tunnel, you'll be able to see Hogwarts!" the professor called out.

Everyone ducked as a hole emerged out of the darkness. They waited with bated breath to see the castle, craning their necks at an awkward angle so they wouldn't miss their first view of Hogwarts.

"Wow…" they breathed as the majestic sight rose above them. It truly was a castle, with turrets, towers, everything. Not even Hera could keep her face passive as they stared at what was going to be their home for the next seven years.

They all jolted forward as the boats docked, and then they all got out, still wide-eyed, and starting to get nervous.

The professors led them into a relatively small room. They could hear the buzz of hundreds of students through a large door.

"Alright, first years!" The professor said jovially. "I'm Professor Longbottom, the Herbology teacher and head of Gryffindor. For the next seven years, your house will be your family. If you break the rules, you will lose house points, the amount depending on the severity of the rule- breaking. But, if you do something well, like complete a charm on your first try or answer a question correctly, then you will gain points. The four houses are Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff," He smiled at them happily. "Got all that?" Everyone nodded yes. "Okay, it's time to go!" He led them through the doors and into a huge dining hall filled with students seated at four tables, and the teachers at a long table in the front of the hall at a ninety-degree angle to the other tables. There was a low dais in front of the teacher's table with a lone stool on it.

"Darn it!" Professor Longbottom said, clapping a hand to his head. "Wait here, I have to get the hat," They all stopped, and Longbottom dashed out of the hall amongst great laughter. The first years were too scared and nervous to talk– almost.

"Look at the ceiling!" Amanda said, pointing up in awe.

Hera tossed her long, wavy dark brown hair imperiously. "It's a spell. You would know if you had read _Hogwarts: A History_."

Mafalda snorted. "You would read that," she whispered.

"Hey!" Rachael exclaimed. "I read that, too! It's basically required reading for purebloods!"

Mafalda blushed. "Oh. Sorry!" Their whispered conversation stopped as Longbottom trotted back into the hall, a tattered hat clutched in his hand.

"All right," He said, panting slightly. "Here it is!" He put the hat on the stool. There was silence for a few seconds, but then the hat began to sing.

_It is my duty to sort,_

_But I find some know not_

_Those who played their part_

_There was fair Ravenclaw_

_A wiser mind can be not be found_

_And then Hufflepuff,_

_A kind soul,_

_Sisters in all but blood_

_And who were better brothers_

_Than brave Gryffindor_

_And shrewd Slytherin?_

_But then a mistake was made_

_And though the founding four_

_Did have a rift_

_That caused them all to part_

_Now we must sift_

_To bring those four together_

_Back from there separated ways_

_And Slytherin shall be reunited _

_With his friends at last_

_With this sorting_

_Four of the firsts _

_Shall be the new quartet_

_But beware, as their coming is cursed_

_And not all shall escape unharmed_

_But now try me on_

_To find to which house you'll be entrusted! _

There was polite applause from the assembled students when the hat finished its song, along with some muttering as to what it could mean.

"When I call your name, come up and put this hat on your head," Professor Longbottom announced.

"Adams, Abigail," A blond girl walked up, trembling, and put the hat on. There was a pause, then… "GRYFFINDOR!" The girl scampered to her table, beaming, while Hera laughed meanly at Amanda, who had jumped at the hat's exclamation.

"Apamo, Theodore," The scarlet-haired boy had barely put the hat on his oddly- colored head when it called out "RAVENCLAW!"

"Black-Lestrange, Hera." Professor Longbottom didn't smile at her– in fact, he glared– as Hera walked to the stool. Whispers broke out as she took a deep breath.

"She's going to be in Slytherin, can't be anything else with those parents," she heard someone from the teacher's table mutter. She located its source as a red-haired man sitting next to a bushy-haired woman, who cuffed him silently as Hera glowered at him. She finally got to the dais and put the hat on her head.

"_Ahh,_" A voice said in her ear. She made sure to not move an inch. "_I have been waiting for you._"

"Have you?" she thought.

"_But of course,_" the hat said. "_With your parents dwelling among the darkest magic-folk since Grindelwald, I knew that you would be coming._"

"Hmm… fascinating," Hera thought. "But could you get on with it? I'm getting bored."

The hat chuckled. "_All right. Now, you have pride, obviously, and a very self- sufficient personality… but you also value your friendships, what little you have…_" Hera gave a fake yawn to indicate how long the hat was taking. "_Fine. I get it… with your unique markings, you obviously belong in _SLYTHERIN!" Hera beamed as she skipped down the aisle to the sparsely populated Slytherin table. She didn't pay attention until…

"Havers, Rachael!"

Rachael hopped up to the stool, grinning broadly.

"_Well, I know just where to put you, with your keen mind… and it won't disappoint your friend either. I can tell that you want to remain by her side._" Rachael felt her smile growing bigger under the hat. "RAVENCLAW!" The hat roared. Hera clapped loudly with the Ravenclaws as her friend waved to her. Several more students were called before…

"Smith, Amanda," Amanda felt her nerves start up again when her name was called.

"Be calm," she muttered to herself as she walked slowly up to the hat.

Over at the Slytherin table, an older Slytherin muttered, "Nice. Fresh meat,"

Hera barely spared the boy a glance.

"She's mine to torment," No questions were asked after that.

"_Ah…Miss Smith…_" Amanda jumped at the voice. "_Now, let's see… you have an unwavering loyalty to your friends, and to your family… and you like to work, in your studies, at least…you definitely belong in _HUFFLEPUFF!" Amanda took the hat off her head as applause came from a yellow and black table, smiling at the other first years, and getting patted on the back from a few older students. She turned around in her seat immediately as Mafalda's name was called.

Mafalda skipped up to the stool and put on the hat.

"_Ah, the last one… of course, now there's only one place to put you! But it most definitely fits your bravery, or stupidity, as some may say._" Mafalda blushed. "GRYFFINDOR!" Mafalda rushed to the Gryffindor table. Now that her sorting was over, her nerves had gone, and she was hungry.

Over at the Ravenclaw table, Rachael was besieging the older Ravenclaws with questions about her classes, the spells, and the teachers.

"Who are all the teachers?" she turned to the guy sitting next to her.

"Well, there's McGonagall, obviously, and Longbottom. He's really nice, but forgetful. Madam Bellevue. She teaches potions, and totally takes after her predecessor, Professor Snape, the snarky bat of the dungeons," he sighed. "And then Professor Sinistra teaches Astronomy, and then History of Magic is taught by Professor Binns, as always. Then Transfiguration with Professor Medareco, and Charms with Professor Flitwick– I have NO CLUE as to how he's still alive. He's ancient. And, finally, Defense Against the Dark Arts is with Professor Granger-Weasley. She's good friends with _the_ Harry Potter, and sometimes he and Ron Weasley– that's her husband- come into the higher level classes."

"Oh, thanks! My name's Rachael Havers, by the way. What's yours?" Rachael smiled up into his blue eyes.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Adam Mayer, fourth year," He did a funny half-bow.

"Why hello Adam Meyer Fourth Year," Rachael giggled.

* * *

The Slytherin table was very quiet that evening in dark contrast to the other three chattering houses. A vast majority of the Slytherins seemed entranced by Hera, who ignored all of them and ate her meal with dainty bites. She sat with her three fellow first years- one girl called Katrin Nott, the much younger sister of Theo Nott, and two boys called Colin Chadwick and Marc Shupay (who was from a long line of French purebloods). Older students were sitting near her, almost as if they were waiting for instructions. Only one boy seemed to distance himself from the group around Hera.

Once Hera had finished eating, she went over to the boy, who had a hooked nose and long black hair.

"Hello. My name is Hera. What's yours?" She plopped herself down across from him, and he glanced up, sneering.

"Alan Bellevue," He returned to his dinner.

"Hello, Alan. I hope to spend more time with you in the future," She responded politely, her hostess training kicking in.

"You can leave now," he said rudely.

"Oh, but I don't really feel like it," she said innocently. He hexed her under the table, muttering the incantation under his breath. Hera's face scrunched up in brief pain when his stinging hex hit her, but still she showed no sign of moving. He sighed and accepted her presence as something that he would have to deal with.

Professor McGonagall stood up, and the entire Hall went silent as she began to speak. "Now that you are all full from your feast, let me say a few words: The Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds, and there is a list of banned items on Mr. Filch's office door," The older students snickered slightly at this, and McGonagall's mouth twitched a bit. "Also, swimming in the Black Lake has been banned this year due to an overpopulation of grindylows. Now, off to bed with all of you. We shall see you bright and early tomorrow morning," There was a rumble as the collected students stood up.

"First years!" several prefects called. "First years, come here!" Amanda, Mafalda, and Rachael went to their respective prefects, waiting to be escorted to their dormitories. Hera, on the other hand, had already left, silently following Alan.

* * *

"Hello first years!" Mafalda's female prefect addressed the gathered first years.

"Follow us, and you won't get attacked," the male one smiled at them evilly. The girl hit him upside the head.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine!" she assured them. "I'm Cali Lorem, and this idiot is Luke Covey."

"Yeah, just follow us to the dorms," Luke sighed, then started walking. Mafalda and her fellow first years housemates walked briskly to catch up with him. They went up a few staircases, then down one and through a fake wall, then around a tapestry depicting two duelists throwing spells at each other. Finally, they arrived at a picture of a fat lady in pink.

"Password?" she asked regally.

"Hominum revalio," Luke said confidently. The Fat Lady bowed slightly and her portrait opened to show a hole in the wall. They all clambered through, emerging in a warm, red and gold covered room.

"Boys, your rooms are up through that staircase," Cali pointed to the left. "Girls, your rooms are on the other side. Remember, boys can't get up to the girls room, but girls can go into the boys rooms."

A short boy raised his hand. "What happens if a boy does go up the girls stairs?"

Mafalda nodded– she had been wondering the same thing.

"Luke, if you could?" Cali asked nicely– almost too nicely. Luke glared at her and dashed up the stairs. With a deafening bang, the stairs turned into a slide, making Luke slide down and fall on the richly carpeted floor with a painful thud. He got up, rubbing his bottom.

"That's what happens," he growled at the giggling first years. "Any other questions?"

They all shook their heads.

"Good then," Cali clapped her hands once. "All your stuff is up in your dorms. Have a good night!" The girls and boys parted ways, talking excitedly amongst themselves.

"I'm Mafalda Summers, by the way," Mafalda said to her dorm mates. "What are your names?"

"I'm Abigail Adams," said a girl with curly blond hair and clear blue eyes.

"Sydney Inoria," the girl with straight dirty blond hair and brown eyes shook Mafalda's hand.

The last girl had reddish-brown hair and smoky grey eyes. "Prudence Rackharrow," she said quietly.

"We're going to have so much fun!" Sydney said, bouncing on her bed.

"Agreed!" Mafalda exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

"We should probably get to bed first though," Prudence said, still very quiet.

* * *

"Stop following me!" Alan cried, incensed at the audacity of this girl.

"But I don't know where the common room is." Hera said slyly.

"You don't know because you've been following me," Alan growled, fingering his wand longingly.

"That means that as the only senior Slytherin in the general vicinity, you're in charge of showing me where the common room is," Hera said, grasping her wand in preparation if he should attack.

"No, I'm not. Now stop following me," He stormed away. This would've worked had Hera not continued following him.

Alan whirled around, his wand out. "_Furunculous_!"

"_Tatarengella_!" she retaliated after dodging his hex.

"_Protego_!"

"_Expelliarmus_!"

"_Protego_! _Expelliarmus_!" Alan blocked her spell and retaliated before Hera could understand what he had done. Her wand went spiraling towards him, and he deftly caught it as a slow clapping filled the hall, and they both looked up at the source. Madam Bellevue stood there, looking unimpressed.

"Impressive wand work for a first year on their first night, Miss Lestrange," she said in a rich, throaty voice. "You will make your guardians proud," Bellevue said icily. "As would your mother and her lord."

Hera blushed at the praise, veiled in ice as it was. "Thank you ma'am."

"Alan, I am surprised at you. I had expected you to know better than to use his spells on other, unsuspecting students."

Alan hung his head. "I'm sorry, Mother."

Hera's mouth dropped open. _Mother?_

Bellevue sighed. "I will ignore this– just the once, mind you. If I catch you again, it's detention. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," they agreed simultaneously.

"So… could you show me where the dorms are, now?" Hera smiled fakely.

"Follow me," Alan sighed, resigned.

Katrin was waiting up for her in their dorms when Hera finally arrived.

"Thank god, where have you been?" Katrin demanded loudly. "Your trunk is at your bed, and I've already decorated a bit. The boys want to know if you want to stick together tomorrow, and maybe hang out on Fridays, like a class bonding thing."

Hera blinked, astounded at all this information that was being thrown at her.

"I was talking to Bellevue, thank you, the room looks great, sure we can, and that would be nice," she hoped she had covered everything that Katrin had said.

"Now, as for my trunk…" she frowned at it, not really wanting to put too much time into unpacking, not tonight at least. She clicked her fingers, and a house-elf appeared.

"How may Schnoz be of service, ladies?" the elf asked, bowing low. His nose, in disagreement with his name, was unusually small for a house-elf.

"Unpack my trunk," Hera commanded the creature at her feet. "Katrin, would you like him to do the same for you?" Katrin nodded once, her smile haughty. "And Miss Nott's as well,"

The elf simply had to snap his fingers, and the girls' clothes were folded, sorted, and put in their proper places. Their schoolbooks had also been sorted and placed in the bookshelves, along with any extra reading they had brought. Their quills, inks, and parchments had floated onto their desks, and their beds had been made and warmed.

"Schnoz, you will attend to Miss Nott and me for the rest of this year, do you understand? If we call you, you will come, unless you are doing something for the school. Furthermore, you will be the only one to clean this room," Hera looked at the elf until it nodded, accepting the terms. "Good. Now, leave us," The elf disappeared with a crack.

Katrin gasped at Hera. "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Neither did I," Hera smiled sheepishly. "I just hoped that it would," Katrin giggled a bit.

"Well, we'd best turn in!" she chirped, altogether much too awake for that time of night, already covering herself with the sheets.

* * *

Amanda sighed happily as she sank into her cushy yellow and black bed.

"This is so exciting!" One of her roommates, Connyr Mackintosh, turned around, soaking in their new accommodations.

"Agreed. I'm so glad that we got put in Hufflepuff," Samantha (Sammy) Delvon giggled.

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"Because even though everyone thinks it's for the extras, we can get away with murder," Sammy explained with a wicked glint in her eye. Amanda and Connyr giggled nervously, not knowing if she was being serious or not.

"Is anyone opposed to me setting an alarm clock for tomorrow?" Connyr asked just as everyone was settling into bed. There were murmurs of agreement from Amanda and Sammy before the dorm fell into a sleepy silence.

* * *

The next morning, Rachael bolted upright, startled by from her sleep by a loud noise, almost like a foghorn.

"AUOOOGA! AUOOOGA!"

There was a thump from next to her as Pari Malik fell out of her bed. "Maldígalo," she grumbled. While Rachael had no idea what this meant, she assumed that it was something bad.

"Whazgoinon?" Sally Donnelly asked blearily.

"I dunno," Rachael got out of bed and headed to the common room to find out what was happening.

* * *

"CONNYR!" Amanda yelled over the incessant alarm. "TURN IT OFF! NOW!"

"I CAN'T FIND IT!" Connyr said, looking around in a panic.

"WHY IS IT SO LOUD?" Sammy yelled, her hands over her ears.

"MY BROTHER TURNED THE VOLUME UP, I GUESS!" Connyr still couldn't find the alarm that she had set last night.

A prefect came running up the stairs. "ACCIO ALARM CLOCK!" she yelled, and the deceptively small clock zoomed into her hand from under Amanda's bed, still shrilling. "CONFRINGO!" The alarm blew up, much to their ears' relief.

"Never… do that again," The prefect said angrily. "The ENTIRE school is awake now. And by the entire school, that includes the ghosts, teachers, and house-elves."

Connyr blushed and looked at the ground. "Sorry," She mumbled.

Amanda giggled as the prefect left the room, little bits of alarm stuck to her robes and hair. The three first years looked at each other, before starting to laugh, long and hard.

"That was…the best way…to wake up…ever!" Sammy gasped out between her laughter.

* * *

Hera, on the other hand, had not been amused. Despite what Katrin had said about going to bed early, the two girls had stayed up late, talking about recent scandals in pureblood society (Pansy Parkinson had eloped) and the goings-on of Draco and Theo (who was getting married in seven weeks). She stumbled down to the common room, irate, to find the rest of the house already assembled. She walked to a bunch of fourth and fifth years that seemed to know what was going on. They quieted when she arrived.

"What is going on?" she asked them. A prefect spoke up.

"Some dumb Hufflepuff first year had a _muggle_," he spat the word out. "Alarm with a Sonorous Charm on it."

Hera winced. "Idiots, the lot of them," There were murmurs of general agreement. She looked around for Katrin, Chad, Marc, or Alan.

"Ah, Katrin!" she called, spotting her roommate.

"Hera, do you know what's going on?" Katrin asked, tugging her robe on.

"Yeah, some idiot Hufflepuff decided to set her alarm way too early, and then went and added a Sonorous Charm."

Katrin pulled a face. "Probably that dumb Muggleborn."

"Yes, most likely," Hera sneered.

* * *

Amanda blushed as all of Slytherin house glared at her and her friends.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Connyr looked at them nervously.

"They probably know that it was your alarm that woke them all up," Sammy said out of the corner of her mouth. "Merlin, they look mean."

It wasn't a lie- most of the older Slytherins had their wands out, or at least laying on the table.

"Hey, idiots, I loved your alarm!" someone– a girl– shouted. The hall turned to look at her as she stood up, a look of malice on her face. "Maybe you can set it so it wakes up your brains instead of the school," There was a shout of laughter from the Slytherin table as Hera sat down between Katrin and Alan, smirking.

Amanda's face burned. This was not the way that she had wanted the year to start. Sammy pushed Connyr and Amanda toward the Hufflepuff table whilst glaring at the still snickering Slytherins.

* * *

Rachael frowned as her friend sat down, not at all pleased with how she had acted. The alarm had been an innocent mistake, that's all.

"Wow, that Black-Lestrange girl is really mean, isn't she?" Sally muttered, buttering some toast.  
"Yeah, it wasn't really their fault," Pari agreed.

"Hera's a good person when you get to know her." Rachael defended her friend. "She's just a little… abrasive."

Pari sighed. "What ever you say."

"What's the schedule?" Rachael asked, trying to change the subject.

Sally looked at her timetable. "Double charms this morning with Slytherin, ick. Then lunch, then Transfiguration with Gryffindors and Potions with Hufflepuffs. And tomorrow we have Herbology with Slytherin, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Hufflepuff, lunch, History of Magic with Gryffindors, and finally Astronomy at midnight with everyone."

"Brilliant," Pari said, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of learning.

* * *

Mafalda glared at the Slytherins with the rest of her table, then took a glance at Amanda. Her face was red from embarrassment. Mafalda felt her face grow hot with anger. _Darn that little evil… thing to heck!_ She stood up and strode to the Slytherin table, toward Hera, displaying that bravery that her house was famous for. The two houses grew silent as she approached. Hera didn't notice her until the girl sitting next to her poked Hera and pointed at the angry Gryffindor.

"What do you want… erm, Sumter, was it?" Hera said, mock-politely.

"That was extremely rude of you," Mafalda said. "And it's Summers."

"Oh, so sorry," Hera said, smirking, before turning away. Mafalda drew her wand, forgetting that she didn't know any spells. Before she could move, she was floating upside-down. Hera whirled around, wand out, startled by the scream.

Mafalda had been suspended in midair by her ankle, and was struggling to keep her skirt from sliding up.

Hera giggled at her and turned to Alan, whose wand was out and pointing at the girl. "You shouldn't have done that, but thank you."

His face betrayed no emotion as he nodded and flicked his wand one more time, causing the girl to fall on her butt.

"Come on, let's go to Charms," Hera said, picking up her bag. Katrin, Chad, and Marc immediately followed her. Alan waited for another few minutes before leaving the hall. His mother winked at him as he left, but gave no other indication that she had taught him that spell.

Katrin giggled as they walked to Charms.

"That was funny," she said, referring to Summers hanging from her ankle.

"Hmm," Hera said, also chuckling her appreciation.

When they arrived at the Charms classroom, it was empty, save for a tottering pile of books, on which was perched a tiny, sleeping man.

"Must be Flitwick," Marc muttered. The four new Slytherins sat down in one corner of the classroom and discussed what they would be learning about that day as the rest of the class (Ravenclaws) filed in. At the sound of the bell, Flitwick jerked awake.

"Now, what class is this? Hmm, first year Ravenclaws and Slytherins," His voice was squeaky and faint. They had to strain their ears to hear him.

"Just give a little hullo when I call your name," he said, his books teetering dangerously. Hera sighed and sank into her seat, hoping for a bit of sleep.

"Maybe I could get Uncle Draco to buy me a dictation quill," she wondered to herself as her eyes drifted shut.

* * *

On the other hand, Rachael was thoroughly enjoying the note taking. She could tell that the notes would really help them later, during the practical part. She glanced around when there was a short pause in the Professor's speech. Hera was staring into space, not even bothering to try to take notes. She glared at her Slytherin friend, who didn't pay attention to her. Rachael turned back to the teacher, who was now telling them about how important proper wrist movements are.

"Remember," He squeaked. "If you don't do it right, you may end up with a tree limb for an arm, like the witch Daisy Pennifold."

* * *

Rachael strolled into Transfiguration, her hand still cramped from the Charms notes. Professor Medareco looked up as she entered with Mafalda.

"Ah, hello." She said breathily as they sat down. "How are you today? Been enjoying your classes?"

Rachael nodded eagerly. "I'm really looking forward to this one, though! I can't wait to learn all about transfiguration, especially human transfiguration, I mean, I know we won't cover that for a while, probably years, but…" Rachael trailed off as she realized that she was rambling, as she often did when she was nervous.

Mafalda giggled internally at the typical Ravenclaw response as the rest of the class filed in.

"For the first few weeks," Medareco started without even taking attendance. "You will be learning the basics of Transfiguration. You will not be attempting any Transfiguration until I feel that everyone has gotten a complete handle on this." Mafalda heard the Ravenclaws sigh in disappointment. The brains of the school knew that they would be doing a lot of waiting before they got a chance to touch their wands in this class. Gryffindors weren't exactly famous for their brains.

* * *

**_Chapter 2_**

"I can't do this," Amanda threw down her quill, tears in her eyes. "It's too hard, I just can't."

Mafalda put a comforting hand on her back as Amanda burst into tears in the middle of the library. "It's okay. I can help you. What are you stuck on?"

"I just don't understand the movement for the Gripping Charm," Amanda complained, shoving her book away and sniffing up her tears.

"It's easy. You just have to divide the whole movement; look at it each part as a separate shape," Mafalda held her friend's hand. "There's a straight line, then a hook, see?"

"Yeah," Amanda said slowly, seeing the shape come out. "Thanks, Mafalda. And… I'm sorry for falling apart on you."

"It's okay," Mafalda said. "We all just need a break. But, hey, we have Christmas break just a month away."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. It's already been that long. I feel like just yesterday we were being sorted," Amanda leaned back in her chair. Mafalda nodded, also reclining.

"Hey, Amanda, you're good at Herbology, right?" Mafalda asked after a short pause.

"Yeah. Do you need help on the proper way to get out of a Devil's Snare?" Amanda slid her chair closer to her friend's to see the homework better.

"Thank you," Mafalda sighed in relief. "I just can't remember the rhyme correctly!"

* * *

Their double team approach to studying did not go unnoticed. Not only did their teachers notice their improved grades, but also other students noticed them in the library, studying together after lessons and weekends. Other small study groups popped up here and there, including Rachael and Hera.

"Come on, Hera," Rachael pleaded one day. "We both stink at Herbology, and Amanda's great at it!"

"I will not sit there as the mudblood attempts to teach me and the Gryffindork antagonizes me," Hera sneered, glancing at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff in the corner.

Rachael huffed. "Fine then," She stood up and gathered her books together.

"Where are you going?" Hera asked, bemused at her friend's antics.

"I'm going to sit with Amanda because I actually care about my grades," the irate Ravenclaw hissed at her longtime friend.

"So do I," Hera responded, her face going carefully blank. "That's why I'm not joining them. So don't come crying to me when _you_ need _my_ help," Rachael walked away from Hera's table, her back stiff. Hera sighed before going back to her Astronomy homework, which Rachael had been helping her with. She didn't need any help, anyway. Besides, if she did need any help, she could go ask Alan.

In spite of their first meeting, they had become fast friends, and it was not uncommon to see them walking and talking together. It was ironic, Hera privately thought, that the son of the Dark Lord's traitor and the daughter of his greatest supporter should be such good friends.

However, it must be said that Alan had inherited his father's temper. "For Merlin's sake, Hera, stop being such a snob and study with them," He said one day when she had been annoying him more than normal.

"No. They won't be able to help me as much as you, and you're more easily accessible," She replyed calmly, refusing to respond to his barb.

"Glad to know I'm so loved," he sneered. Hera beamed up at him, displaying her teeth in an almost feral grin.

* * *

"Eurgh!" Rachael yelled in frustration. "I've been looking for _hours_, and I still can't find it!"

Amanda and Mafalda looked up at her, bemused. "What is it?" Amanda asked.

"Bellevue's essay. I just can't figure this one part out," Rachael replied, frowning.

"What's it on?" Mafalda asked, hoping it was something easy. She was terrible at Potions.

"We're supposed to write down the instructions to the Forgetfulness Potion and explain why each ingredient is needed," Rachael explained, giving them her started essay, which just had the ingredients on it.

"What is 'scurvy-grass'?" Amanda looked at the third ingredient.

"And sneezewort?" Mafalda scrunched up her nose in confusion. "Doesn't that just make people sneeze?"

"No, and that's the thing! I know what they are, I just don't know why they're needed!" The Ravenclaw was quite distraught at the thought of not knowing something. "And I can't find them in any of our books."

"Maybe you're not looking hard enough?" Amanda suggested.

"No, I've looked through them all multiple times," she defended herself. The other two bit their lips and frowned at each other.

"So, who's best at Potions?" Mafalda finally asked.

"Hera," Rachael smiled tightly.

"Black-Lestrange," though Amanda was loath to admit it, it was true.

"This isn't going to end well," Mafalda sighed, shaking her head.

* * *

"I told you not to come crying to me," Hera's voice took on a tone of superiority in Charms the next day.

"But, Hera, please!" Rachael whispered, pleading. Hera smirked and turned her attention back to Flitwick. "Come on, Hera, please? We– I– need your help. And, I'll make sure that Mafalda doesn't 'antagonize' you."

Hera sighed. "For you, yes. But don't expect me to be friendly."

"Thank you! You won't regret it!" Rachael restrained herself from throwing her arms around her friend's neck… barely.

* * *

"Oh, thank Merlin," Mafalda breathed the next day when Rachael showed up with Hera.

"Thank Rachael is more like it," Amanda muttered back.

"Okay, I'm here. Now, what is it that you are having difficulties with?" Hera plopped herself as far away from Amanda as possible.

"The Potions essay about the Forgetfulness Potion," Mafalda explained. "We just can't figure out what scurvy-grass and sneezewort are for!"

"Well…" Hera started, pulling a scrap of parchment towards her. "Scurvy-grass inflames the brain, which causes befuddlement, and sneezewort makes the user hot-headed and reckless. A very lethal combination," She paused. "Madame Bellevue told us this, you know, right?"

The other three looked at each other, sharing bewildered looks. "When?"

"About halfway through the lesson," She said as if she was stating the obvious.

Amanda shrugged. "I guess we just didn't hear her."

Hera ignored her.

* * *

The foursome quickly raised their grades dramatically. In fact, they were all achieving almost straight O's, with an occasional E. They also made a schedule, distributing the tutoring to whomever was best at what subject. On Mondays, Hera explained Defense and Rachael revised Astronomy charts. Tuesdays, Mafalda helped them with Charms. Wednesdays, it was Potions with Hera and Herbology with Amanda. These two subjects were closely related, so it made sense to teach them on the same day. On Thursdays, Amanda made sense of the Goblin Wars and Rachael showed them all how to do the Transfiguration homework. All in all, it worked extremely well. Soon, they had a little following as their fellow first years realized that some of the brightest minds in their year had formed a study group. Even Katrin, Marc, and Colin had shown up once or twice, although it was more common for Hera to take what she had learned to them, instead of the other way around.

* * *

The month passed quickly, with classes, exams, and snowball fights filling the young girls' days. Soon, it was time for Christmas break.

"Hey guys," Amanda said, sliding into her seat one day. "Christmas is coming up…"

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Hera rolled her eyes.

"And, well, I got this idea from Girl Guides," Amanda continued as if Hera hadn't said anything.

"Girl what?" Rachael interrupted.

"Girl Guides. It's an after school activity for girls. You make crafts, go camping, and other stuff like that," Mafalda volunteered.

"What sort—"

"As I was saying," Amanda spoke over Rachael, an annoyed smile on her face. "I was thinking that we could do this thing called Secret Giver for Christmas."

"What's that?" Hera made sure that she didn't sound too interested in this Muggle activity.

"Well," Amanda started, beaming at Hera. "It means that the four of us write our names on a piece of parchment, then mix them up, then we all pick a name and get a present for them."

"What if you pick yourself?" Rachael wanted to know.

"Do we tell other people who we got?" Mafalda raised her hand, before she realized what she was doing and lowered it.

"You don't tell anyone, that's why it's secret," Amanda explained. "And if you pick yourself, then we all put the names back and draw again. Does everyone like this idea?"

Hera scowled, but, judging by the looks on Rachael and Mafalda's faces, she was outvoted.

So, they all wrote their names on spare bits of parchment, folded them up, and they all drew.

"All right, everyone open up your parchment piece," Amanda instructed. The other three obeyed. "Did anyone get themselves?"

"No."

"Me neither."

"Yes."

"Mafalda!" Amanda glared at her friend affectionately.

"Sorry."

"Let's go it again, then," They all put the names back in, then picked another name out and read it. Hera's nose wrinkled briefly before she crushed the name in her hand.

"Now, did anyone get themselves?" Amanda looked at Mafalda, who blushed and shook her head. After receiving answers in the negative from Hera and Rachael, she got out her books. "Now," she said decisively. "What are we studying today?"

"Defense," Hera said, getting out her notes, an evil look in her eye. "Specifically, _Expelliarmus _and _Stupefy_. Smith, I'll start with you."

* * *

"That hurt!" Amanda squealed, clapping a hand over her ear. It was a grey Tuesday, only two days from finally getting to relax over Christmas break, and the girls were in an old classroom, practicing for a Charms test the next day.

"I'm sorry, I was just moving the book around!" Rachael cried, her eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Amanda rubbed her throbbing ear. "Just watch where you're going next time, all right?" Rachael nodded vigorously, while Hera sniggered in the background at how red Amanda's- no, _Smith's_- ear was.

"Okay Amanda," Mafalda called everyone's attention back to the lesson. "It's your turn. Could you levitate this chair," she pointed to a chair with a couple of heavy books stacked precariously on it. "Out of the door and back without dropping the book. I want the chair to levitate about three feet above the ground, alright?"

Amanda nodded shakily and steadied her wand hand as she said the incantation. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." The chair rose about two and a half feet off the ground.

"Higher."

Amanda raised her wand a bit more, and the chair shot up another foot. Then she moved her wand sideways, towards the door.

"Ladies, what are you doing?"

Amanda yelped and dropped her wand, causing the chair, with all of its books, to fall… right on top of Professor Flitwick's head.

"Oh, sweet Merlin! Rachael exclaimed, staring at the tiny body of the Charms professor.

"I killed him!" Amanda yelled, her hands flying to her cheeks, an almost comically horrified expression on her face.

"I don't think you killed him, Amanda," Mafalda comforted the Hufflepuff. "He's probably only unconscious."

"I killed him, and they're going to throw me out and snap my wand, and I'll have to work as a sewage worker for the rest of my life, and nobody will ever marry me and—" Amanda started hyperventilating.

"I doubt that anyone will want you anyway." Hera said nastily. "Besides, you'd go to prison after being—" Rachael cut her off with a "shut-up-you're-not-helping" look. However, Amanda had heard. She sank to the ground, tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Well, blubbering's not going to help." Hera scoffed.

Rachael shot Hera another look. "What I think Hera is trying to say is that we should get him to the Hospital Wing. We'll levitate him," Rachael swished and flicked, aiming for Flitwick, and his body rose gently into the air.

"Does anyone know where the Hospital Wing is?" Rachael looked around at them. Amanda shook her head, still crying, but standing up now.

"I got taken there after I fell off my broom, but I was unconscious."

"Neither do I; I normally just ask Madam Bellevue for any health potions," Hera admitted, "But I know someone who will." Merlin's pants, she was helping Smith and Summers. What was the world coming to?

"Who?"

"Alan," Hera started walking. "Well, come on. We haven't got all day," she noticed that nobody was following her. They all hastened to obey, Flitwick's body trailing behind them.

* * *

"Alan. I need your help." She hissed at him. He was in the library, as she had thought.

He looked at her, his face a blank mask.

"Yes, oh important one?" he asked sarcastically.

"Smith thinks she killed Flitwick, and we don't know where the Hospital Wing is. Could you tell me?" Hera asked, her lips twitching.

He blinked, surprised. "Well, I wasn't expecting that," he started to pack up his books. Hera looked at him in confusion. "What, you didn't expect me to sit here when one of my Professors might be dead? I want to see this." Alan defended himself.

Hera sighed and followed him out of the Library. "Come on, guys." She said as they passed the other girls, the prone body of Flitwick floating in front of them.

"Ah, this is the poor blighter." Alan said, amusement coloring his voice. "Well, let's go to the Hospital Wing." They obediently followed him.

"Alan!" they heard a kind, older voice say as they were nearing a door they had never seen before. "What did you do this time?"

"Not me, Madam Pompfrey. Some first years think they killed Flitwick." Alan chuckled slightly.

"It won't be the first time. Where is he?" the long-suffering voice that apparently belonged to the Mediwitch said.

"Just outside," Alan poked his head out of the door. "Bring him in, Hera." Hera and Rachael came in, floating Flitwick in front of them, Amanda and Mafalda bringing up the rear.

"I think he's just unconscious," Rachael explained as Madam Pompfrey fussed over the old man. "And I think that Amanda needs a Calming Potion." She glanced at the still-sobbing girl. Madam Pompfrey approached her young charge with a vial of murky potion.

"There, there." She put a comforting arm around Amanda and guided her to a chair. "He's not dead, he's just been knocked out. He'll be right as rain in a couple of days." She held the vial to Amanda's lips and forced the drink down her throat. Amanda's tears dried up almost instantly, and her breathing became more regular.

"There, that's better now, dear," the elderly matron patted Amanda's head. "Could you three take her back your dormitory?" She looked the girls over Amanda's head. They exchanged quick glances before nodding.

"Let's go Amanda," Mafalda gently tugged her out of the Hospital Wing. Amanda followed, a bit loopy. Hera and Rachael took one last glance at Flitwick before leaving as well. Alan hesitated before following Hera out, leaving Madam Pompfrey tending to the tiny professor.

"As much fun as that was," Hera drawled to no one in particular. "Let's never do it again."

Mafalda glared at her from over Amanda's shoulder. "Shut up, Black-Lestrange," she hissed. "It's not her fault."

"Oh, really?" Hera said, tapping a finger against her mouth, which was curled up in a cruel, mocking smile. "Because, I seem to remember her tipping a pile of books on Flitwick's head."

Amanda whirled out from under Mafalda's arm. "Shut up, just shut up!" She yelled, pulling her wand out. Hera smirked. This was what she had been waiting for; a chance to needle the silly nitwit until she lost control.

"Um, no," Hera leaned against a pillar, Alan standing in its shadow, forgotten by the four girls.

"I don't know what your problem with me is! I've never done anything to you, and you still put me down every chance you get!" Amanda continued yelling at Hera. Rachael and Mafalda had backed off to one side, glaring at the smirking Slytherin. "And I don't understand why you call me 'mudblood'! I am just as good a witch, if not better, than you or Rachael."

"And yet, Rachael is in Ravenclaw." Hera said, smirking. "And you aren't."

"Shut up, you... you… you bloody bint!" Amanda seethed at Hera for a moment before clapping her hands over her mouth. "Oh, Merlin! What did I say?"

Hera started laughing. "You said a swear word!" she crowed. "That must be new for you!"

"It is," Amanda said. "And stop laughing!" Hera didn't stop. Even Rachael let a few giggles escape, but quickly stopped when Mafalda elbowed her.

"I said stop it!" Amanda insisted. "_Flippendo!_"

Hera neatly stepped away from the hex, not bothering to take put her wand. "_Flippendo_! _Expelliarmus_!_ Stupefy_!" Hera dodged all of Amanda's spells, letting the other girl tire herself out. "_Diffindo_!" Hera barely dodged that one, but it cut off a snippet of her hair.

"Hera," A voice said. "Stop it," Amanda dropped her wand, thinking it was a teacher- but it was only Alan. "You're done. You've gotten what you wanted," he told Hera.

Hera nodded. "All right," She leaned against her original pillar. "Very good, Smith. You've learned well."

Rachael giggled, trying to dispel the tension that was thick between her three year-mates. "Hera, I feel like you should've added 'young grasshopper' on that."

"What the bloody hell was that?" Mafalda asked angrily, glaring at Hera.

"Hufflepuffs don't have any backbone; everyone and their auntie knows that," Hera started. "So, I decided that Smith here needed one to get by in life."

"Your so-called logic makes no sense," Mafalda said as Amanda nodded her agreement.

"Listen, Gryffindork," Hera sneered at Mafalda. "If I hadn't continually picked on Smith, would she have ever been able to do what she just did?"

"What did I just do, though?" Amanda asked timidly.

"Don't lose that backbone now, Smith!" Hera exclaimed, flapping her hands at Amanda. "As I was saying, if I hadn't picked on Smith, would she have been able to hit the best dueler in the year."

Amanda frowned, soaking in this new information. Would she really have been the same if Hera hadn't been a bully?

Hera's voice interrupted her thought process. "Besides, if I hadn't picked on her, another Slytherin would've, and they would've been a lot meaner about it. Trust me."

"I guess that's true." Amanda said hesitantly, thinking about her words before she said them. "But you really could've been nicer about it."

"I could've, yes," Hera admitted. "But the other Slytherins would've found out, and then they would've told my family, and that's really not something I want to happen."

"Such a Slytherin," Rachael sighed.

"And obviously proud of it," Mafalda muttered.

"So, are we friends now?" Amanda stuck her hand out.

Hera regarded the hand as if it was dog poo. "Friends? Not really. Not enemies? That I can do."

"I suppose I can deal with that," Amanda sighed, dropping her hand to her side.

"Good," Mafalda said. "Now we can all sit at the same table."

Rachael chuckled. "Anyone up for hot chocolate?" The girls walked away, talking excitedly amongst themselves.

Alan smirked at them. "Oh, to be eleven and drama-free, so easy to forgive," He muttered as he started back towards the library.

* * *

"It's Christmas!" Amanda squealed as she woke up. "Sammy! Its Christmas!" she threw a pillow at her dorm-mate. Connyr had gone home to visit her family, but Amanda and Sammy had elected to stay and see the grandeur of Hogwarts at Christmas. "Wake up!" The other girl bolted upright and saw the presents at the end of her bed. The next five minutes were a flurry of wrapping paper, squeals, and hugs of thanks.

"Sammy, I love these hair ties!"

"Oh, look what Connyr got me! I love it!"

"Amanda, how'd you get these? They're amazing!"

"Oh, I have to thank Mafalda! Look, a new book on Herbology!"

It was a nice, happy, normal Christmas morning. The girls, who had woken up at six, stayed awake for the rest of the day by consuming their Christmas candy and copious amounts of hot chocolate, provided by the Great Hall.

At five o'clock, Amanda checked her watch. "Oh, my gosh! I have to get to the library!"

Sammy looked at her as if Amanda had grown a second head. "Erm, Amanda, its Christmas. Why are you going to the library?"

"Secret Giver with my study group!" Amanda called over her shoulder.

* * *

Mafalda and Rachael had extremely similar days, although they woke up a lot later than their Hufflepuff counterpart. At five o'clock, they took leave of their warm dormitories and friends, and slowly made their way down to the library with the presents for their Secret Giver.

* * *

Hera, on the other hand, enjoyed the traditional pureblood Christmas. She woke up at precisely nine, and, after waiting for Colin to come meet her in her room, started unwrapping her presents. Katrin was spending her Christmas in Spain with Theo, his new wife, and his friend, Blaise Zabini. Marc had gone to France to visit his grandparents and extended family. After each present, she took out a card and wrote a thank you note to the giver. It was really rather droll, not at all the exciting Christmas that the other three girls had participated in.

"Excuse me, Colin," she excused herself at 4:56. "I have to go to the library, finish up some homework, you know?"

Marc smiled at her. "Of course. These teachers don't seem to realize that this is a holiday, not a weekend!"

Hera grabbed the gift for her Secret Giver and walked quickly to the library. On the way, she was joined by Amanda, and then later by Mafalda and Rachael. They sat down in their normal seats around their table, anticipating their gifts.

"Okay, I guess that I'll go first," Amanda put her gift on the table. "Rachael, here you go."

Rachael eagerly pulled the gift towards her and unwrapped it. "Oh, Amanda! They're beautiful!" She exclaimed, holding up her new quills. "My turn." She slid her gift towards Mafalda, who opened it to reveal a huge bar of chocolate. Mafalda then gave Hera a few snake-shaped hair clips. Hera hesitated before handing her gift out to Amanda. Rachael and Mafalda waited, not admitting to themselves that they were waiting for a hex or something to come from the beautifully wrapped present. Amanda's gasp made them reach carefully for their wands.

"Oh, my gosh, Hera. It's… it's gorgeous," Amanda breathed, drawing a pendant out of the small yellow bag. The badger's eyes sparkled where the light hit them, throwing out rainbows.

"Wow, that's beautiful," Mafalda held out her hand for the necklace.

"Hera, thank you so much!" Amanda exclaimed, jumping up and throwing her arms around Hera.

Hera immediately stiffened. "Let go of me."

Amanda released her, blushing. "I'm sorry, but it's just an amazing gift."

"It's okay, just… never touch me again," Hera said coolly.

Rachael pulled Hera back as the four girls left the empty library.

"Did you put a tracking spell on it?" she asked quietly, having noticed the tell-tale black spot on the back of the badger.

"Possibly," Hera said evasively.

"Who did you connect it to?" Rachael, being the good Ravenclaw that she was, had read about tracking spells enough to know the basics, although not the actual incantation.

"Well, me," Hera reluctantly pulled a snake on a chain out of her shirt, with the same sparkling diamonds for eyes. "And you- and Summers- can expect something similar."

"Wow!" Rachael stopped in her tracks, causing Hera to run into her. "How'd you manage that?"

"Only you would be interested in that," Hera snorted before telling her friend about the long and exceedingly difficult process that she went through to get the charm correct. "I asked Uncle Draco and Aunt Astoria to Charm them for me," she grinned cheekily.

"Why, you little Slytherin!" Rachael exclaimed.

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

Time passed, bringing changes upon the small quartet. They grew slightly closer, spending more and more time with each other outside of the library. Before they knew it, it was time for them to ride the train from Hogwarts back to Platform Nine and three-quarters.

"I can't believe that just a year ago, I had no clue that magic even existed, let alone that I could do it," Amanda sighed, leaning into the comfort of one of the compartment's plush seats.

"I can't believe that less than a year ago Hera was dueling Bellevue," Rachael's eyes crinkled up in silent laughter as she looked out the door of the compartment to see Alan and Hera in deep discussion about which type of blade it was better to cut magical beans with (silver or silver-plated titanium).

"Remember when I tried to take Hera to task for being mean to Amanda?" Mafalda giggled as she remembered falling on her arse.

Amanda laughed, too. "All because of that stupid alarm. Sammy bought Connyr a new one, but it's charmed to vibrate instead of shrilling."

"That thing did a lot more than shrill," Alan said, leaning in the doorway. "It sounded like a bloody foghorn."

"Alan, don't swear in front of the children," Hera reprimanded him teasingly. As she sat down, Rachael noticed the marked difference in her. She had certainly changed since the beginning of the school year, although they had yet to eliminate the word 'mudblood' from her vocabulary. When the train screeched to a halt, the four girls (Alan had deserted them in search of a less giggly compartment) looked out the window at the steam-filled station, regretfully packed away the last of their sweets, and took their trunks off the luggage rank, using their last chance at magic for the summer to get them down.

Once they had gotten off the train, their parents, who were standing on opposite sides of the station, waved Amanda and Mafalda down. Mafalda gave Amanda a quick hug goodbye, waved at Rachael and Hera, before dashing off to her mother and father and greeting them. Amanda gave Rachael a big hug, then looked at Hera questioningly.

Fine," Hera sighed. "But just this once, and don't expect me to return it."

Amanda smiled broadly at the contrary Slytherin and hugged her tight. "I'll see you both next year, right?"

Hera nodded as Rachael said, "Yes." Then, Amanda disappeared into the steam.

"Come'n, Rachael. We have to get home," Hera muttered, tugging her friend's arm and having a weird déjà vu of when she had first arrived and had chided Rachael for staring like a "filthy mudblood", if she remembered her words correctly. And now she was friends– of a sort– with a mudblood! Imagine that- the product of a Black and a Lestrange, friends with a Mudblood. She snorted as she threw her Floo powder down and called out "Malfoy Manor," making some ashes fly up into her face and eyes.

"You smell like Mudblood from the station. Go and wash," A cold voice said as soon as she stepped out of the ornate fireplace. Hera looked past Lucius Malfoy to smile at Narcissa, Draco, and Astoria.

"Of course, Uncle," she said politely. "It is good to see you again," She smiled slightly again as Lucius' face melted a little from it's normal sternness.

"It's good to see you, too, Hera." He told her.

"Uncle, would it be okay if I asked a few friends to stay for a day or two?" Hera beamed up at Lucius, knowing she had him wrapped around her finger.

"Maybe. If you wash," was his response. Hera allowed her smile to come back in full force as she turned away. It was good to be home.

**

* * *

**

Author's notes: Hello, all! I hope you enjoyed the _Power of Four_. I wrote this for a state-required project, so I was wondering if you could leave a review, please? I do plan on continuing this, if you were wondering.

**Important Dates:**

February 25th, 1992- Alan Severus Bellevue born

November 11th, 1993- Rachael Circe Havers born

May 3rd, 1994- Hera Belladonna Black-Lestrange born

July 2nd, 1994- Mafalda Annabelle Summers born

August 19th, 1994- Amanda Elizabeth Smith born

May 2nd, 1998- Voldemort defeated; Hera's parents killed in Final Battle

September 1st, 2005- Girls to Hogwarts (also 2005- JSP born)

2006- ASP, REW, SHM born; 2004- HW, LLP born (none go to Hog w/Po4)

September 1st, 2009- TRL to Hogwarts, girls 4th year, ASB's 6th year

**Gryffindor**- _Mafalda_, McGonagall, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville (HoH), Abigail Adams, Sydney Inoria, Prudence Rackharrow

**Ravenclaw**- _Rachael_, Luna, Flitwick (HoH), Pari Malik, Sally Donnelly

**Hufflepuff**- _Amanda_, Teddy Lupin, Samantha "Sammy" Delvon, Connyr Mackintosh

**Slytherin**- _Hera_, Tom M. Riddle (LV), Bellatrix Black (Lestrange), Rodolphus Lestrange, Malfoys (Draco, Narcissa, Lucius), Marc Shupay, Colin Chadwick, Katrin Nott, Astoria Greengrass (later Malfoy)


End file.
